2008 Woodie Awards
South Bend native wins big at Daytona
Julie Andrews
Issue date: 2/20/08 Section: Sports
Drafting is the name of the game at Daytona International Speedway, and that's how Hoosier native Ryan Newman won the 50th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday. On the final lap, South Bend's Newman passed Columbus' Tony Stewart with drafting help from his Penske teammate Kurt Busch. That was all he needed to cross the finish line first. The win was Newman's first since September 2005 and team owner Roger Penske's first Daytona 500 win, who has also won a total of 13 Indianapolis 500's.
During a great run, Casey Mears waited until the last minute to switch lanes, causing Stewart to push Mears into the wall on lap 195 and bringing out the caution flag. Jeff Burton led the field for the final restart on lap 197. However Burton was freight trained when Stewart and others left him out to dry on the low lane. Burton would eventually finish in 12th place.
Kyle Busch was the class of the field Sunday by leading 86 of the 200 laps Sunday. Busch along with teammates Stewart and Denny Hamlin showed that the Joe Gibbs Racing switch to Toyota was worthwhile, as Toyota's lead a total of 134 laps Sunday.
Stewart, who has won several races at Daytona but never "the big one", finished third with teammate Kyle Busch fourth and Reed Sorenson fifth. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who won the Budweiser Shootout and the first Gatorade Duel on Thursday, finished ninth. Jeff Gordon failed to complete the race and finished in 39th position
Called "the race to remember" by various media outlets, this was the first race with the new "Car of Today" at Daytona, which will be used all season.
This race also marked the first race where there was more than one past Indianapolis 500 winner racing. 2007 Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti, 2006 winner Sam Hornish Jr, and 2000 winner Juan Pablo Montoya tried to join the ranks of only a few having won both 500s. Both Mario Andretti and AJ Foyt Jr. are the only drivers to ever win both the Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500.
The teams are off to California next week to compete at California Speedway in the Auto Club 500. Matt Kenseth is the defending race winner and actor Brad Garrett will serve as grand marshal. Action starts Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on Fox.
During a great run, Casey Mears waited until the last minute to switch lanes, causing Stewart to push Mears into the wall on lap 195 and bringing out the caution flag. Jeff Burton led the field for the final restart on lap 197. However Burton was freight trained when Stewart and others left him out to dry on the low lane. Burton would eventually finish in 12th place.
Kyle Busch was the class of the field Sunday by leading 86 of the 200 laps Sunday. Busch along with teammates Stewart and Denny Hamlin showed that the Joe Gibbs Racing switch to Toyota was worthwhile, as Toyota's lead a total of 134 laps Sunday.
Stewart, who has won several races at Daytona but never "the big one", finished third with teammate Kyle Busch fourth and Reed Sorenson fifth. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who won the Budweiser Shootout and the first Gatorade Duel on Thursday, finished ninth. Jeff Gordon failed to complete the race and finished in 39th position
Called "the race to remember" by various media outlets, this was the first race with the new "Car of Today" at Daytona, which will be used all season.
This race also marked the first race where there was more than one past Indianapolis 500 winner racing. 2007 Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti, 2006 winner Sam Hornish Jr, and 2000 winner Juan Pablo Montoya tried to join the ranks of only a few having won both 500s. Both Mario Andretti and AJ Foyt Jr. are the only drivers to ever win both the Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500.
The teams are off to California next week to compete at California Speedway in the Auto Club 500. Matt Kenseth is the defending race winner and actor Brad Garrett will serve as grand marshal. Action starts Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on Fox.
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